Apologies for the summertime blog hiatus, let’s dust this thing off. *cough, cough* Now that I have your attention, let me get a show of hands for the content creators. Keep your hands up. How many of you are doing this for the passion of creation? Awesome! Keep those hands up. Now, for those passionate creators, who is actually making a living off of their art? Did your hands get tired? Well, let’s face it, a lot of us content creators, who love to make art, are not able to give it the full go because of one thing or another acting as a stumbling block. Be it work, finances, family, mental blocks, lack of drive, overinflated perfectionist ego, or the critical creator that never finishes; there is always something to blame.

I admit, there are times when I want to create, but just don't. No reason why. I ask myself, "Why not just pick up the guitar and figure out a few chord changes and some lyrics to tell a story?" or "Instead of binge watching The Wire, Sherlock, and Trailer Park Boys, why don't I make a cool video or finish a song that is half done?" Part of it could be the energy/passion ratio, where you put energy into a project and the passion fades before you finish. Another part could be the fear of failure. Let me tell you all, famous or not, go ahead and swallow that tye dye colored pill that not everything you make is golden nor will everyone love everything you do. Learning to be brave and bold enough to create in the first place gives you fuel to give it a run. If you run out of gas, find some way to refuel.

One of the best ways to refuel is to work with other people who may have an excess of energy and alternative ways of thinking. This process is the whole point that Soul Funkin Dangerous even exists. Creative musical minds that had an excess of energy, wanting to make something to listen to for whoever wanted to listen. Sure, working with other creative types can be a challenge when clashes occur. Human nature at it's best. Nothing more rewarding that when a collective of ideas brew together and make something beautiful. Scientists, engineers, stagehands, electricians, horticulturalists and artists share this common thread (not to exclude any field, but you get the point)

Two heads are better, right? Being inspired by a class conference with Jack Conte, CEO and Founder of Patreon.com, I want to implore all who may read this to create and find people out there that like your work. Encourage yourself to keep creating, even when life tries to stop you. Through outlets like Patreon, following people like Tommy Darker, and believing that your creation is worth something, you can start to build your brand and your revenue. While it's not all about the money, it's takes money to live and create.

There's a reason behind asking about passion before making a living. Here's something to ponder...

Without passion, art is nothing.

Once you have the passion to create, other people can share your passion and help you continue to create. It's not about making buckets full of money. It's not about your face being famous everywhere. You may still have to teach lessons of your craft, sell some physical content, a combination of the 42 Revenue Streams for musicians or other avenues to fill the gap. Follow these rules for success: